Oscars of Silicon Valley honors “breakthrough” scientists with $21 million in prizes

Silicon Valley staged its take on the Oscars Thursday night, hosting a black-tie affair that felt every bit like the Hollywood variety — except that you’ve probably never heard of any of the winners.

And that was kind of the point.

The “Breakthrough Prize” event at NASA’s Ames Research Center was designed to honor the world’s leading minds in life sciences and physics by offering them the star treatment usually reserved for actors, athletes and musicians. The red carpet was lined by cameras and reporters, the French Laundry’s Thomas Keller prepared the meal, actor Kevin Spacey hosted the show and (almost) everyone arrived in tuxedos or gowns.

“Albert Einstein was celebrated as a kind of scientific rock star before there were actual rock stars,” said Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive of Facebook and a sponsor of the event, during the first presentation. “This event is our effort to put the spotlight on those whose work will change lives for generations to come.”

The 2014 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics was shared by Michael Green of the University of Cambridge and John Schwarz of the California Institute of Technology “for opening new perspectives on quantum gravity and the unification of forces.”

The honors went beyond a swanky party and prize for the shelf. The eight top winners together also won a total of $21 million, which they can spend however they choose — dedicating it toward advancing their research or, if they want, frittering it away on swank homes and shiny new Teslas.

“There are many organizations that fund research, so this is a slightly different approach,” said Yuri Milner, the wealthy Internet investor, one-time physics student and key mover behind the Breakthrough Prize, during an interview along the rope line. “Let’s recognize that these people are making significant contributions and should make at least a fraction of what the best Wall Street trader is making.”

(For other details on the event’s sponsors and organizers, please see our earlier story here.)

Adding to the Hollywood aura of the event were presentations by traditional celebrity types, including comedian Conan O’Brien, musician Lana del Rey, and actors Rob Lowe and Michael C. Hall.

But in one clear sign of the inverse reality that is Silicon Valley, where the tech nerd is firmly atop the social hierarchy, all heads instantly swiveled early in the evening when Google co-founder Sergey Brin hit the red carpet. Never mind that, at that very moment, actress Glenn Close and Spacey were already working the rope line.